Connector for electrical conduits, etc.



, ETC.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10, [920.

Patented June 6, 1922,

PATENT OFFICE;

GEORGE o. THOMAS, J'E, 0F ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE THoMAs & BETTS co. OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CONNECTOR FOR ELECTRICAL CONDUITS, ETC.

T 0 all whont-z't may concern .Be it known that -I, GEORGE C. THcmrAs, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Connectors for'Electrical Conduits, Etc, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for connecting electrical conduits or cables or the like to electric outlet boxes or similar ap pliances having conduit openings therein. The object of my device is to provide a simple and inexpensive form of device which is adapted to be inserted within openings of different sizes in the walls of outlet boxes or the like and secured in binding engagement therein. Many forms of connecting device are now necessarily kept in stock because of the need of making connection with outlet boxes having openings of difierent sizes. By my device a single connector may beused with various sizes of opening. I accomplish this purpose by providing a shell which is partly surrounded by a second shell or band. both shells being provided with outwardly turned lips which are substantially in alignment, peripherally of the device, when the outer shell is mounted in position upon the inner. The device being inserted through a desired opening in an Outlet box or other wall, means are employed for forcing the two shells transversely apart. This results in causing the outer shell to be pressed against the edge of the opening at one point, and the inner shell to be pressed against the edge of the opening at an opposed point, intermediate points of the shells. also coming into engagement with the edge of the opening. By this procedure the outwardly turned lips of the two shells will come into binding engagement with the inner surface of the wall surrounding the opening.

In the preferred form of my device the inner-"shell has-an external groove formed peripherally of the same, adjacent one end and the outer shell takes the form of a metal band formed into the shape of something more than a semi'circle. This band has a peripheral external groove, adjacentone end with acorresponding internal ridge. The band may he slipped over the shell with the ridge in alignment with the groove of the inner shell. Upon forcing the shell and Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 6, 1922,

Application filed November 10, 1920.

Serial No. 423,105.

band apart, as by turning the screw whichextends through the outer band and bears against the surface of the shell, the ridge adjacent the end portions of the bands will come into binding engagement with. the groove in the-1nner shell. The device being positioned within the opening of an outlet box wall, a continuation of the turning of I the screw will force the part of'the band admy invention may be had attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawings forming part of this application and illustratlng one embodiment of my invention.

.In the drawings. Fig. 1 represents a View .partly in side elevatlon and partly in section of a device embodying my invention mounted in position within an opening within a .wall, Fi 2 represents an end view of the device, Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the inner shell of the device shown in Fig. 1, partly broken away and shown in section, Fig. at

is a top plan view of the outer band or shell, shown separately, Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the band shown in Fig. l. and Fig. 6 is a cross-section through the assembled device taken on line 6-6 in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings. the inner shell 1 is formed of suitable metal with a peripheral groove 2 adjacent one end, this groove having an outwardly turned lip 3 at its forward edge and a shoulder at at its rear edge, peripherally of the shell. The lip 3 is preferably of a somewhat less diameter than that of the main body of the shell 1 and the bottom of the groove 2 is, of course, of a less diameter than the lip 3.

The shell 1 may be provided with suitable means for clamping the same to an electrical conduit or cable which may be extended therethrough. This means may take the form, for example, of a clamping ring 5 formed integral with'the-shell at the rear portion thereof and partially separated therefrom by a peripherally extending out 6. The ends of-the ring which are thus separated from the body of the shell are turned up to form ears 7, 7 which are provided with.

aligned openings, one of whiclris threaded and through which a screw 8 is passed so that by drawing up on the .screw the sides of the ring will be drawn toward each other to clamp theconduit or the like passing therethrough. The shell may be suitably formed of sheet-metal, pressed to shape.

I than the outer diameter of shell -1, and when the band is positioned upon shell 1 it is adapted to extend around the same a distance which should be more than one-half the periphery of the shell in order that the band may be secured to the inner shell.

The band 9 has formed therein, adjacent one end, a peripheral groove 11, having an outwardly turned lip 12 at the forward ed e and a shoulder 13 at the rear edge of t e same. A corresponding internal periphery ridge 14 is formed on the band. The groove and ridge may be formed by machining operations or by pressing operations.

The band 9 is provided with a threaded opening therethrough at a point opposite to the opening between the ends 10, 10 of the band. A screw 15 is mounted in this opening. in the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, to serve as the means for separating shell 1 and band 9 transversely. When the device is to be positioned within an opening in a wall 16 of an outlet box or the like, the band 9 is mounted on the shell 1 with the ridge 14 of the band fitting loosely within the groove 2 of the shell 1. By turning screw 15 sufliciently to cause the end of the screw to bear lightly against the periphery of shell 1, the portion of band 9 adjacent the screw will be separated a short distance from the shell 1 and the portions of ridge 14 of the band adjacent the ends 10 will be brought into binding engagement with the groove 2 of the shell as is indicated in Fig. 2. The device is then inserted in the opening in Wall 16 which is' somewhat larger than the diameter of the parts as they are now positioned. The grooves 2 and 11 being positioned in alignment with the opening in the wall, with the end lips 3 and 12 within the interior of the outlet box or other device of which wall 16 forms a part, screw 15 is turned to cause the inner end of the screw topress against the shell 1. An electrical conduit or cable may be extended through the shell 1 and into ,the cutlet box and clamped to the connector by turning screw8 as has been described.

As screw 15 is turned through hand 9, shell 1 is forced away from the screw, that is upwardly, in the position of the parts shown in Figs. 1 and 2. As the shell 1 moves upwardly the band 9 will, of course, relatively move downwardly. Accordingly, the.

portion of groovell adjacent to screw 15 will be forced firmly against the adjacent edge-of the opening in wall '16 while the portion of groove 2 at the top and diametrically opposite from screw 15 will be forced firmly into engagement with the adj acent-edge of the openingin the wall. During this relative movement of the parts the portions of the ridge 14 adjacent the ends '10 ofband 9 will continue to seat within the. groove 2 of shell 1, separation of the parts being prevented by the fact that the ends 10 of band 9 do not pass beyond the diametrical line of shell 1 which may be considered as extending at right angles to the plane in which screw 15 is situated. When screw 15 has beensufiiciently tightened the lips 3 and 12 will extend into binding engagement with the inner surface of wall 16 at various points surrounding the opening. When the device is firmly seated in position in the opening, the area of contact of the device with the edge of the opening will comprise the greater part of a circle which is eccentric to the shell 1, which circle is formed by the band 9 together with a greater or less portion of the shell 1 diametrically opposite from screw 15.

It will be understood that the device may be secured within openings of various sizes, within certain limits, by separating the band 9 to a greater or less distance from the shell 1. It will also he understood that my inven tion is not limited to the details of construction particularly described, but is as broad as is indicated by the accompanying claims.

What I claim is: i

1. in an electrical connecting device, adapted to be inserted in an opening in a wall, the combination of a shell having an outwardly turned lip, an outer shell substantially cylindrical and partially surrounding said first shell and having an outwardly turned lip. means for forcing said shells transversely apart and simultaneously forcing said lips into binding engagement with the wall surrounding an opening through which the device is inserted, and means for securing the device to an electrical conduit or cable.

2. In an electrical connecting device, adapted to be inserted in an opening in a wall, the combination of a shell. having a peripheral groove, a band partially surrounding said shell. having an internal ridge adapted-to seat in said groove and having an aligned external groove, and means for forcing said band and shell transversely apart, to cause the groove in said shell to i the combination of a shell having an wardly turned lip, a substantially cylinrica outer shell partially surrounding said causing relative transverse movement of said shells, whereby oppositely disposed portions of said shells. are forced respectively into binding engagement with opposite portions of the edge of an opening in a wall and said outer shell is expanded to bring intermediate portions of said outer shell into binding engagement with intermediate portions of the edge of said opening.

5. In an electrical connecting device dapted to be inserted in a wall, the combination of an inner curved shell, an expansible outer shell extending peripherally more than one-half way around saidinner shelland means engaging both shells for causing relative transverse movement of said shells, whereby oppositely disposed portions of said shells are forced respectively into binding engagement .Wltli opposite portions of. the edge of an opening in a wall and the sides of the outer shell are simultaneously spread laterally, and the curvature of the ptod to be inserted in an opening in a' l 1 sheii and having an outwardly turned outer shell is varied to conform substantially to the curvature of said opening.

6. In an electrical connecting. device, adapted to be inserted in an opening in a Wall, the combination of a shell through which an electrical conduit or cable may be passed, a curved resilient member carried thereon,tand means for forcing said resilient member from a position substantially concentric with said shell to a position which is y increasingly eccentric thereto, assaid means is applied for progressively expanding said resil ent member, so that said resilient memher and shell may bind against the edge of.

an opening in a wall through which said device may be inserted.

7. In .an electrical connecting device, adapted to be inserted in an opening in a wall, the combination of a shell through which an electrical conduitor cable may be passed, a curved resilient member carried thereon, and nieansi or forcing said resilient member from a position substantially con centric with said shell-to a position which is increasingly eccentric thereto. said means is applied for progressively expanding said resilient member so that said resilient member. and shell may bind against the edge of an opening in a wall through which said device may be inserted, said resilient member being adapted upon withdrawal of the application of said means to become collapsed i to permit the removal of said memberaud shell from said opening.

' This specification signed and witnessed this 4th day of November, 1920.

GEORGE C. THOMAS. JR. Witnesses ADUAH l\I( \Vli\"lERS,- RANDOLPH P. HARRISON. 

